MX5 broke down (albeit briefly) – any advice?

Matthew.M

Matthew.M

Matthew.M

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Birmingham
Yes, after almost 6 years of faithful service and a few track days my MX5 finally let me down this morning.

Background – 1995 mk1, 1.8, UK car with absolutely no options (no aircon, power steering, ABS or electric windows). A few mods but they relate to suspension, brakes and exhaust nothing directly related to the engine/ignition system.

I’m currently doing about 700 miles per week (for work - I usually make a killing on the 45p a mile expenses I can claim). Some might say I’m mad for doing so many miles in such a poverty spec car but I still love it! I’m surprised it has lasted this long if I’m honest.

Anyway I pulled in for fuel 0.5miles from my destination and after I got back to my car and tried to restart it there was a brief conk and then... nothing. Dead stick. Not a single light on the dash anywhere to be seen and the radio even died. Some devices still had power, the immobiliser was still working and responding to the fob as it has a status LED, but the car wouldn’t even attempt to turn over.
Now the weird part - I enabled/disabled the immobiliser to no effect and I don’t believe this would cause it as when I forget to disable it and it cuts power to the engine it only stops the ignition and the radio stays on.

I checked all the connections to the battery and fuse box – nothing seemed amiss.

Then, strangely, I tried again 5mins later and it fired up first time. The battery wasn’t low on juice it fired up within a second or so and the radio was back to life (but had lost all of its preset radio stations and settings – so it definitely lost all power).

It then drove to my destination, but I’m a bit concerned this may happen again and I would rather get home than be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Anyone got any ideas what might cause this? Or did it just fancy a nap?
 
Check the battery terminals. Both of mine actually broke causing similar. Bit of a dodgy contact. Took me a while to realise what the issue was as I thought the battery was dead then suddenly it worked again.

that or it could have just been the immob having a fit. Mine came with a Sigma M30 Cat 1 alarm and this has been a bit funny in cold weather with the radio fobs and I've had to use the keypad on the dash instead.
 
I'll double check them, thanks.

Ironically it's at 99k miles and just about to tick over 100k, maybe it's preparing itself to implode when it reaches it:p
 
I had a loose battery connection terminal that caused similar issues, electrics randomly working/not working. Car not even thinking about turning over.

Opened the bonnet and whilst checking things were tight, the clamp was laughably loose. Jammed a stone in there as I had no tools and I was on my way.

Tightened it up when I got home
 
I had a similar thing, battery again, but mine had broken its mounts and one of the terminals, battery was in the middle of the boot... really need to stop drifting around :p

And it will be fine past 100k, mine is nearing either 130 or 150k can never remember, clutch needs changing asap though :)
 
Fireskull said:
I had a similar thing, battery again, but mine had broken its mounts and one of the terminals, battery was in the middle of the boot... really need to stop drifting around :p

And it will be fine past 100k, mine is nearing either 130 or 150k can never remember, clutch needs changing asap though :)
Click to expand...

The 100k comment was mainly in jest after previous threads on here! Is yours still on the original clutch? Mine is!

To be fair I have all the cars history and if it's accurate the only issue it's had since 95 is a sticky brake caliper, so I shouldn't complain especially with the amount I abuse it.

I'll give the batt a good check. I replaced it 3months ago with a new westco battery as the old one got bashed around a bit on track and leaked acid everywhere...
 
The Westco batteries are gel batteries and often require a good long slow charge prior to being used. They're also touch and go on quality, a lot having had poor life spans and there are a lot of people who have bought these Westco batteries and they have not used their car for 3 days to only find the new Westco battery flat. - not so good for a £90 battery although covered by the 3 year warranty.

I would put it on a long slow charge on a good charger and see if this helps to stop this happening again - that is of course if it's the battery ;)
 
I bought the Westco when I replaced the terminals. Not had a problem with it nor have I needed to charge it. Until I changed the terminals it showed the same issues as my last conventional battery.

In other news, do you Mk1 guys have an ignition light? If I turn on my ignition (before starting) all I see is the handbrake light if its on. This normal?
 
Mine had a new clutch at about 65k. Owner in Japan must have driven like I do. On 80 something now, looking tatty, laquer on wheels peeling and not been cleaned in a long while. Want rid this year :(
 
Dup said:
I bought the Westco when I replaced the terminals. Not had a problem with it nor have I needed to charge it. Until I changed the terminals it showed the same issues as my last conventional battery.

In other news, do you Mk1 guys have an ignition light? If I turn on my ignition (before starting) all I see is the handbrake light if its on. This normal?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure, I will check mine tonight and let you know!

And yea original clutch as far as I know, will check when I come to replace mine soon though.
 
Vintage_Geek said:
The Westco batteries are gel batteries and often require a good long slow charge prior to being used. They're also touch and go on quality, a lot having had poor life spans and there are a lot of people who have bought these Westco batteries and they have not used their car for 3 days to only find the new Westco battery flat. - not so good for a £90 battery although covered by the 3 year warranty.

I would put it on a long slow charge on a good charger and see if this helps to stop this happening again - that is of course if it's the battery ;)
Click to expand...

All my journeys are over an hour and it has been trouble free for 3months, I suspect that if it wasn't charging properly I would have realised before today! It fired up with no hesitation once it decided to work again as well. I specifically got the gel type as the mx5 is meant to have a sealed battery due to its location in the boot.


Also mine definitely does have an ignition light on the dash in addition to the handbrake light. I've no idea how an mx5 killed a clutch in that mileage! Mine still has no indication of slipping at all (I hope I haven't jinxed it now).

Thanks everyone for your thoughts :)
 
To follow this up and in case anyone ever searches with a similar problem - I ignored the problem and it got a bit worse. I was driving along the M6 at dusk making good progress when I turned the headlights on and clonk... car died. Lost all the lights, engine, wipers when it was dark and in the ****ing down rain. Just as I wondered how I was going to cross 3 lanes of traffic with no indicators it came back to life. The only saving grace was that as I don't have power steering I was still in full control.

After that experience I started to get a bit more proactive in fixing it and I think I've traced the problem to a dodgy earth strap between the engine and chassis. I'm going to clean it up/replace it at the weekend and then hopefully it won't happen again!

On the bright side it flew through another MOT again today with only one advisory relating to an exhaust clamp, not bad at all.
 
Good news about the MOT! I hope it is the earth strap thats the issue.

A work colleague of mine got a 1991 MX5 in very good condition recently and I was passenger, for some strange reason, memories of driving my two Triumph Spitfires came flooding back! How I miss being behind the wheel of a convertible rwd car at times!

Kind regards,

David
 
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